The Council of State of Greece has cleared the way for the VORIA project, a large leisure and hospitality complex by North Star Entertainment involving an investment of EUR 300 million (USD 332 million), after rejecting a legal challenge against the project’s zoning framework.
In a final and irrevocable ruling, the country’s highest administrative court upheld Presidential Decree 36/2023, which establishes the urban planning and land use conditions for the project in the Delavari area of Maroussi, north of Athens.
The project, described as the largest strategic investment in the northern suburbs of Attica in decades, will include a five-star hotel, a conference center, a casino, and a range of leisure and dining venues. It also includes the relocation of the historic Mont Parnes casino from Mount Parnitha to a purpose-built 8,500-square-meter facility within the complex.
North Star CEO Yiannis Tsirikos welcomed the court’s decision, stating that it “allows for the full execution of this important investment.”
“The VORIA project will offer unique experiences while fostering innovation and sustainability, and supporting the growth of Maroussi and Athens as a tourist and business destination,” Tsirikos stated.
Designed with an emphasis on environmental sustainability, the complex will incorporate more than 17 stremma (approximately 4.2 acres) of green spaces and preserve 25 stremma (6.2 acres) for public use out of a total of 50 stremma (12.4 acres) of land ceded to the Municipality of Maroussi. North Star has committed to excluding shopping centers from the site to avoid competition with local retailers.
The project is expected to generate 1,000 jobs and contribute to the urban regeneration of the area. The company will also fund significant traffic improvements to reduce congestion around the development area.
“The project will offer unique experiences to visitors by combining innovation and sustainability, highlighting our vision of creating a new hub that will place Maroussi, and by extension, Athens and the country, at the epicenter of tourist and business interest,” Tsirikos added.
